Fair Oaks Farms sits just off I-65, about halfway between Indianapolis and Chicago. The working-farm campus combines interactive agriculture museums, guided farm tours, indoor play spaces, seasonal outdoor attractions, restaurants and an on-site hotel.
This is not a petting zoo or a quick roadside stop. Families can tour working dairy and pig farms, watch modern farming technology in action, climb through a three-story indoor ropes course and possibly see a calf being born. Plan on a full day if the goal is to see all three Adventure museums and take both farm tours.
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Fair Oaks Farms Admission, Hours and Tour Information
One-day general admission is $27 per person for ages 3 and older. Children ages 2 and younger are admitted free. Admission includes the Dairy Adventure, Pig Adventure and Crop Adventure museums, along with the dairy and pig farm tours. It also includes Mooville and the Orchard when those seasonal attractions are open.
A two-day pass is $44 per person and must be purchased in person. The indoor Pig Adventure ropes course costs an additional $8 per person. Families only interested in Mooville or the Orchard can purchase a seasonal attraction pass for $5 per person.
The Adventure museums and farm tours are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Fair Oaks Farms operates on Central Time, which is an important detail when reserving tours from Indianapolis.
Farm tours are included with admission. Reservations are not required, but Fair Oaks Farms recommends scheduling tour times in advance to get the times that work best for your family. Starting in the morning also makes it much easier to fit everything into one day.
Experience Farm Life at Fair Oaks Farms
The main admission area connects families with three interactive museums. The museum portions are largely self-guided, while the Dairy Adventure and Pig Adventure include scheduled bus tours to working farms away from the main campus.
The Dairy Adventure
The Dairy Adventure starts inside a 15,000-square-foot museum covering cow care, milk production, robotics and agricultural sustainability. Exhibits include digital games, videos, slides and a farm-themed indoor play area designed with younger children in mind.
The guided dairy tour takes about one hour and 15 minutes. A bus transports visitors through the working dairy operation, with stops at a 72-cow rotary milking parlor and a robotic milking facility. Families can see how cows are housed, fed, milked and cared for without entering the livestock areas.
The Birthing Barn is located near the Dairy Adventure museum. Depending on the timing of the visit, families may see a cow in labor, a live birth or a newborn calf learning to stand. A birth is never guaranteed, but the barn and its stadium-style viewing area are worth checking during the day.
The Pig Adventure
The Pig Adventure follows pigs through different stages of life and explains how modern farms use technology, health precautions and specialized care. Inside the museum, children can try an interactive sonogram, learn about pork production and play inside the Redwood Treehouse.
The bus tour visits a working pig farm where families can see adult pigs and newborn piglets. Because the farm follows strict biosecurity procedures, visitors observe the animals without touching or feeding them.
The Pig Adventure also houses a three-story indoor ropes course. Tickets cost an additional $8 per person and can be purchased at the admissions building or inside the Pig Adventure.
The Crop Adventure
The Crop Adventure focuses on soil, seeds, pollinators, agricultural technology and the challenge of producing enough food for a growing population. Families can watch a large-screen film, explore an underground exhibit from a bug’s perspective and learn how satellites, drones and other tools help farmers manage crops.
The Crop Adventure generally takes less time than the dairy and pig experiences. Fair Oaks Farms recommends allowing about one hour, although children who stop at every interactive screen may disagree with that estimate.
Seasonal Outdoor Attractions
Mooville
Mooville is the seasonal outdoor play area at Fair Oaks Farms. It opens May 23 and operates daily through Labor Day, then on Saturdays and Sundays through October.
Children can ride the Milk Chug Express train, jump on the Dairy Air bouncing pillow, pedal small tractors and play on the farm-themed playground. The most recognizable attraction is a 22-foot milk carton climbing wall with a bell at the top. Climbers must weigh at least 40 pounds and no more than 250 pounds. The pedal tractors have an 80-pound maximum weight.
Mooville is included with general Adventure admission. A Mooville-only ticket costs $5 per person, with free admission for ages 2 and younger.
The Orchard
The Orchard at Fair Oaks Farms opens Aug. 29. The 20-acre orchard includes apple picking, pumpkins, seasonal produce and fall activities. Orchard admission is included with an Adventure pass, or families can purchase an orchard-only ticket for $5 per person. Apples, pumpkins and certain activities cost extra.
The Orchard is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday during its late-summer and fall season. Picking availability can change throughout the season, so check the farm’s current crop updates before making the drive for a specific apple variety.
Spend the Night at Fair Oaks Farms
The Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Fair Oaks Farms turns the farm into an easy overnight trip. The barn-inspired hotel has 99 guest rooms, including 31 suites. Some family suites include bunk beds and pullout sofas.
The hotel’s heated indoor pool has a zero-entry area and waterslide. There is also a whirlpool, complimentary breakfast, a fitness center and access to the Fair Oaks Farms nature trail.
The hotel is pet-friendly, although a nonrefundable fee applies and rooms are limited to two pets. Seasonal hotel packages may include Adventure admission, dining credits or orchard access, so it is worth comparing the package rate with booking a room and tickets separately.
Where to Eat at Fair Oaks Farms
Families do not need an Adventure admission wristband to visit the restaurants, ice cream shop or Dairycatessen.
Say Cheese
Say Cheese is the quickest sit-down option for breakfast or lunch. The all-day cafe serves breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese, Cuban and Reuben sandwiches, along with other casual meals. Its cheese-tasting room features more than 30 varieties of cheese.
Say Cheese is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and does not take reservations.
The Farmhouse Restaurant
The Farmhouse Restaurant is the campus’s full-service restaurant. The menu centers on American comfort food, including burgers, steaks, pork tenderloin, chicken, salads, cheese boards and shareable desserts.
Lunch is served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and dinner is served daily from 4 to 9 p.m. Reservations are recommended for dinner, especially during busy weekends and seasonal events.
Milkshed
Milkshed is the place for Fair Oaks Farms ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes and farm-themed souvenirs. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Dairycatessen
The Dairycatessen is inside the BP gas station near the main campus. It carries grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, soups, hot food, Fair Oaks Farms cheese, ice cream and road-trip snacks. The Dairycatessen is open daily from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m., while the gas pumps are available 24 hours a day.
Good to Know Before Visiting Fair Oaks Farms
- Allow a full day. Fair Oaks Farms recommends about two hours each for the Dairy and Pig Adventures, one hour for the Crop Adventure and another hour for Mooville.
- Check the time zone. Fair Oaks Farms is on Central Time. Tour reservations and restaurant hours are listed in Central Time.
- This is not a petting zoo. Visitors see live animals, but the working farms are biosecure and do not allow direct animal contact.
- Dress for indoor and outdoor activities. The museums operate rain or shine, but the campus involves walking between buildings and seasonal attractions.
- Schedule the farm tours first. The museums are self-guided, so it is easier to plan the rest of the day around fixed dairy and pig tour times.
- Parking is free. The main attractions and facilities are also listed as accessible.
Plan Your Visit to Fair Oaks Farms
Address:
856 N. 600 E.
Fair Oaks, IN 47943
Adventure hours:
Monday–Saturday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. CT
Sunday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. CT
General admission:
One-day pass: $27 per person
Two-day pass: $44 per person, available in person only
Ages 2 and younger: Free
Pig Adventure ropes course: Additional $8 per person
Phone: 219-394-2025
Official website: fofarms.com
